Photographic print drier



Oct. 10, 1950 s. WALLACE 2,525,159

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DRIER Filed Jan. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. Juan/45y WGLLA c ATTORNEY Oct. 10, 1950 s, WALLACE V 2,525,159

7 PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DRIER Filed Jan. 14, 1949 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. JTA/VLEY VWILLAC'E baa-KM A TTO/P/VE Y l atented O ct. 1 0,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,525,159 PHoToGRAPmo their piifitit StanleyWallace, Detroit,- Mich. Application January 14, 1949, Serial No. 71,010

vide a matt-drier for photographic prints which provides uniform dryingthroughout the drying surfaces of the entire drying area of the deviceby furnishing equal air pressure for each and every air channel or venteifecting equal evaporation and drying over the entire area of the stackof matts and prints regardless of the size of the stack placed in thedevice or thelooation of any individual print or matt.

Another principal object of the invention is" to provide an air-pressuredistribution-chamber which is automatically established at a sizeproportional to the particular size of the stack of matts arbitrarilyplaced in the drier by the placing of the drier top within the device onthe stack.

An object of the invention is to provide a top for the dryer receivablewithin the sidewalls and a rear wall of the device in sealing relationthereto and supported by the stack of matts and'prints to be dried insealing relation thereto so that the matts are compressed by the topmember over their entire area and an air-pressure distribution-chamberis formed at the enclosed end which is vented by air channels in thestack'leading-to the exposed end of the stack of matts.

An object of the invention is toprovide a means for furnishing airsupply under pressure} to the distribution-chamber which air supplymeans is capable of producing a pressure and is capable of resisting areverse flow from the enclosed dis'tri bution-chamber.

A further object of the invention is lino-provide an intake channelbelow the matt stack containin a blower and heaters leading t thedistribution-chamber for heating the air and supplying same to thedistribution-chamber above. I

These and other objeots and advantages will appear more clearly from thefollowing specrfi'cation, the appended claims, and the attacheddrawings. s

In the drawings: l a I Fig. l is a perspective view of the device of 6claims. (01. 34 94) the infintion as seen from the open end thereofshowing the front and right side of the device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device as seen in Fig.1 taken on the line 22 thereof.

M Fig, 3 is a, horizontal cross-sectional view of the device'as seen inFig. 2 taken on the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, partly in cross-section and partlyin elevation showing the device loaded with a smaller stack of mattsthan in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary greatly enlarged View of aportion of the face ofthe stack of matts and prints showing in detail the various componentsof the matt stack. 7

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the matt drier 2a of theinvention, loaded to slightly less than capacity with a stack 2| 0fmatts, prints and corrugated boards positioned j an it willberioted thatthe outside case of the matt drier 20 is made up of bottom member 22,right side member 23, left side member 24, and back member 25.

Spaced above the bottom member 22, is false bottom member 26 which hasthe dual function of supporting the stack 2| and creating chamber 21,Fig. 2, between the bottom member 22 and the false bottom member 26 andthe lower portions of the side and back members 23, 24, and 25 whileremovable front closure member 28 proe vided with grid 30 allows thepassage of air into the chamber 21. e

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the stack 2! is substantiallyspaced from the back member 25, while automatically adjustable topmember 32 rests'on top of stack and sealably contacts side members 23and 24, and the back" ed in series with electrical heaters 89, 40, and

ll, together with switch 42 equipped with plug connections 43 forfacilitating connection to a power source.

"Iteferringto Fig. 5, it will be noted that the stack '21 is made up ofphotographic prints 50 with blotter 5i positioned on one side thereof,

and linen sheet 52 positioned on the other side thereof with the print,blotter, linen sheet lamination being sandwiched between corrugatedboards 53, having channels 54 therein for the transmission of airtherethrough.

Fig. 4 illustrates a smaller stack 2| positioned within the device 25with the top member 32 shown in a lower position automatically producinga chamber 33 of reduced size as illustrated in Fig. 2.

It can now be seen that any size stack 2| of prints 53, blotters 5|,linen sheets 52, and corrugated boards 53. can be positioned within thedrier 20, provided the stack 2| does not extend above the side members23 and 24, and the back member 25, together with allowing sufiicientspace for the positioning of the top member 32 on the stack 2| so thatthe chamber 33 can be formed behind the stack 2|.

The stack 2| can be reduced to the minimum of two (2) corrugated boards53 with the lamination of prints 50, blotters 5|, and linen sheets 52therebetween. However, such a condition is rarely occasioned in that itis the general practice to dry as many prints at the same time aspossible.

In operation, the user places the corrugated board 53 on the falsebottom 26, positioning the corrugated board 53 so that it is even withforward edges of the side members 23 and 24 and spaced from the backmember 25. He then places a linen sheet 52 On the board; then the wetprints 50 face down on the linen sheet; then a blotter 5| over the wetprints; then a second corrugated board 53 over the blotter 5|. At thispoint the operator has created one tier or strata of the stack 2 He thenplaces more linen sheets, prints, blotters, and boards in the drierdepending on the number of wet prints that it is necessary to dry in thesame manner as hereinbefore stated which is the usual practice in theart.

After the operator has built up a stack 2| such as illustrated in Figs.2 and 4, or to any other height, he then places the top member 32 on astack with the edge portionsof the top member '32 in sealingrelationship with the side members 23 and 24 and the back member 25,thus forming the distribution chamber 33, which is vented to atmospherevia the channels 54 in the corrugated boards 53.

Having connected the device to a source of power by means of the plugconnections 43, the operator places the switch 32 in the on position,thereby energizing the heaters 39, 40, and 4| and the motor 38 withinthe lower chamber 21. As the motor 38 drives the blower 35, air is drawnthrough the grid of the front closure member 28, past the heater units39, 40, and 4| which heat the air, thereby rendering it capable ofabsorbing more moisture than otherwise, after which it enters the blowerintake 36 and is delivered via the blower exhaust 31 within the confinedchamber 33 which is vented to atmosphere by the channels 54.

It can be thus seen that the air is drawn in through the lower chamber21 beneath the stack 2| and delivered to the chamber 33, where, due tothe fact that the air is under compression therein, it exerts forceequal in all directions as it is a fluid under pressure. Thus, inchamber 33, equal force is placed on each vent channel 54 so that theflow of air from the chamber 33 is absolutely equal in all channels 54,thereby giving completely equal evaporation within the stack 2|,regardless of location.

The blower 35, which is a centrifugal type, furnishes a large volume ofair under pressure to the chamber 33 and it will be noted that due tothe fact that the blower exhaust 31 disposes its stream of air into thechamber 33 at a 90 angle to the vents 54, no directional influence isoccasioned by the flow of air into the chamber 33 on the vents 54, asair in the chamber 33 will remain static until there is a sufficienthead of pressure to overcome the friction in the channels 54. The bloweris capable of building up pressure in the chamber 33 due to the factthat it exercises centrifugal force on the fluid air and delivers it inan irreversible stream into the chamber 33 regardless of the size of thechamber 33 as regulated by the size of the stack 2|.

Relative to the circulation of air to efiect the drying of thephotographic prints placed in the drier, the air enters into the chamber21 through the grid 30 and enters the blower 35 via the blower intake 36and is transmitted into the chamber 33 via the blower exhaust 31. Thechamber 33 is vented to atmosphere via the channels 54 in the corrugatedboards 53 and the air that is delivered to the chamber 33 travelsthrough the stack 2| in the channels 54 absorbing the moisture from thewet prints and carrying the moisture out .of the stack 2| and disposingof same in the surrounding atmosphere.

It will be noted that the positioning of the .heating units and blowerin the chamber beneath the stack 2| and chamber 33 with the intake 35below the exhaust portions of the vents 54 allows the device to bepositioned in a corner of a room with the back 25 against the wall; inother words, the air is taken in on the same side of the device fromwhich it is exhausted and from which side the device is also loaded andunloaded.

The forming of the chamber 33 behind the stack 2| and the delivering ofair into the chamber 33 at a 90 angle tothe vents 54 in the stack 2|eliminates all directional influence of the incoming air on vents 54 sothat no particular vent 54 or section of vents is influenced by thedelivery of air into the chamber 33. When the air is delivered into thechamber 33, a uniform pressure is produced within the chamber whichuniformally bleeds to atmosphere through the vents 54 and due to thisfactor equal evaporation is effected in all portions of the stack 2|including top, side, and corner portions which, heretofore, in devicescommon to the art, did not receive equal air delivery and, therefore,did not produce equal drying. The instant invention thus provides adrier for photographic prints which will dry uniformally in all portionsof the stack which feature has not been accomplished in any prior devicefor drying photographic prints.

Various additions, deletions, changes, and modifications can be made inthe device without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims which define the invention.

- I claim:

1. In a matt drier comprising a case, a partition dividing said caseinto two compartments, an open face on said case, a stack .of matts,prints and corrugated boards positionable in one of the compartments inspaced relation to the back of said case, and a sealing memberreceivable within said case'on said stack forming an air chamber behindsaid stack, channels in said stack leading from the chamber to said faceand to atmosphere, an airpump in the second compartment,

pump being directed to draw air via said open face into the secondcompartment past said heaters, and to deliver air via said duct into theair chamber behind said stack wherefrom the air is conducted toatmosphere via said channels in said stacks with the air absorbingmoisture from said stack as it passes through said channels.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said duct delivering air intothe air chamber behind said stack at an angle of 90 degrees to saidchannels in said stack to avoid aiding flow of air in same said channelsby the directional influence of the air delivery to the air chamber.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 2, said duct delivering air intothe air chamber behind said stack at an angle of more than 90 degrees.

4. In a matt drier comprising a case, a partition in said case definingcompartments forming an intake air chamber and an outlet air chamber,said case having an open face providing the open side for the twocompartments, a stack of matts, prints, and corrugated boardspositionable in the compartment defining the air outlet chamber, inspaced relationship to the back of said case, and a top receivablewithin said case and positionable on said stack sealing said stack inthe air outlet chamber with the space between said stack and the back ofsaid case defining an air distribution chamber, channels in said stackventing said air distribution chamber to atmosphere, a duct enteringinto the air distribution chamber at at least 90 degrees to saidchannels, a pump delivering air via said duct to said air distributionchamber from said air intake chamber, and heaters in said air intakechamber ahead of said pump for heating the air feeding into said pump.

5. In a matt drier, a compartment comprising a bottom wall, a back wall,and two side walls, an air inlet duct leading to the compartmentsupplying air thereto in a direction parallel to said back wall, meansfor supplying air to said duct under pressure; said compartment beingadapted to receive a stack of matts, prints and channel-memberspositionable in the compartment in spaced relation to the back of thecompartment; and a top receivable between said side walls and againstsaid back wall in sealing relation therewith and adapted to bepositioned on top of the stack within the compartment to form an airdistribution chamber with the other members behind the stack.

6. A photographic print drier comprising a compartment for receiving theprints to be dried comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and a back walland adapted to receive the stack of prints, matts and channel-members inspaced relation to said back wall, a top positionable on a stack withinsaid compartment adapted to abut said side walls and said back walls insealing relation therewith; said back wall and the portions of said sidewalls, bottom wall and top member projecting beyond said stack towardsaid rear wall forming an air distribution chamber behind said stack; anair duct leading into the chamber at an angle avoiding directionalinfluence on the channel-members leadin from the air distributionchamber to atmosphere, and means for supplying air to said duct underpressure whereby the chamber behind said stack accumulates the airdelivered by said means and provides equalized pressure on eachchannelmember leading through the stack thereby avoiding directionalinfluence of the air feeding through said duct on the channel-members.

STANLEY WALLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

